Neat! But why not respect the users choice everywhere on earth?
Because they do not respect you as a user anywhere out of choice.
Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
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Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
The EEA is practically “EU + a handful of countries that apply EU rules but don’t get to participate in decision making for historical reasons”. That’s why Britain didn’t even consider joining the EEA after they left the Union. From their point of view, it would still be the regulatory burden of EU membership without most of the benefits they enjoyed as a full member. When they’d decided to take the economic impact o…
No, they get the benefit of tariff-free and non-tariff-barrier-free trade in goods and services with EU members. That's a huge deal.
I phrased my previous comment wrong (and should edit it). There’s of course a benefit to adopting the regulations and following the rules — you get to participate in the free trade area. But without a say in how those regulations and rules are formed.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#73I'm loving M$ having to admit they're intentionally abusing their users by disrespecting their preferences even when it would cost them nothing to do so.
When will Apple admit?
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#74I'm not sure it's down to the new EU Digital Services Act (which is more focused on "online" behaviour, rather than client-side), but nb Art. 25(1) of the DSA:
"1. Providers of online platforms shall not design, organise or operate their online interfaces in a way that deceives or manipulates the recipients of their service or in a way that otherwise materially distorts or impairs the ability of the recipients of their service to make free and informed decisions."
Or there might be an argument that downloading instructions to a user's device, causing it to do something they didn't want, is a breach of the EU's anti-malware rule (AKA the much-despised "cookie law", even though that name downplays its significance)
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
The announcement is talking about EEA rather than EU though, which smells a bit weird. I'm not sure what regulation they're trying to resolve the conflict with that is not EU wide but rather EEA and targets the usage of default browsers.
The EEA is practically “EU + a handful of countries that apply EU rules but don’t get to participate in decision making for historical reasons”. That’s why Britain didn’t even consider joining the EEA after they left the Union. From their point of view, it would still be the regulatory burden of EU membership without most of the benefits they enjoyed as a full member. When they’d decided to take the economic impact o…
And the UK follows EU regulations anyway, by not controlling imports (latest climbdown, delayed food checks until 2024, 5th time of delaying) and indefinitely accepting CE certification mark (meant to be superseded in the UK by UKCA).
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
The EEA contains EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
+ Switzerland and Turkey
No Switzerland and no Turkey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#77Wonder how much this regulation cost to draft, pass, and implement? Several million dollars? Any EU tax payers care to justify this insanity?
I mean does any normal person even care about this? Eg, not people on HN with Macbook Pros – your average Windows user.
At the end of the day Windows does loads of stuff I don't like. That's why I don't use Windows anymore. Like with most things the EU regulates this just isn't an issue. Windows using a different browser for system apps is so far down on the list of things I don't like about Windows that even if you asked me to write a 100 point list of things I don't like about Windows I'm not sure this would make the list. Guess we need some more regulation.
Edit: Please don't downvote simply because you disagree with me. It's better to have a discussion. Different perspectives are good.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#78Neat! But why not respect the users choice everywhere on earth?
$
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does that mean I can use a headless browser as default ?
You can probably put any cmd-executable command as default, including headless browsers.
I tried exactly that. Turns out it can't be a .bat or .ps1 for understandable reasons, it has to be an executable. So, my "default browser" on this machine I'm on is now an .exe that prints $1. It works.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#80I would also urge people to wonder: why do they care so much?
I don't have the answer. Especially in the past, it seemed like a cost factor to keep up a modern browser (just ask Mozilla) if people might as well install anything else and still buy your OS and use your services. That may have just been going with the flow, not wanting to miss the boat.
My best guess for nowadays is the same as why Google hijacked a login to any google service (from gmail to youtube) as a log in to the Chrome browser, after which all the data on any website is up for grabs and they can facilitate privacy extensions all they want without compromising their own market position. Does Microsoft (plan to) run an ad business? Is it built-in Cortana integration which can answer with ads included or ranking own services higher? Is it just to be able to shove any new future service into more people's faces? To steer web standards, like if you have >70% market share on Windows desktops can you just build in a new ActiveX for WebOffice (as an example) and you'd force others to follow?
Or maybe a combination of all of the above. Either way, I think it would be good to know what strategy is behind this relentless pushing